Voyageurs National Park: 10 tips for your visit

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Experience Voyageurs National Park the only way you really can - by boat.Bordering Canada in Northern Minnesota, the park is truly a place where you can choose your own adventure on 500-plus islands, 655 miles of shoreline and more than 218,000 acres of land and water. Voyageurs National Park

To get around the park, you’ll need to leave your car behind and take a boat into the park. Most boat tours depart from the visitor centers, and reservations are highly recommended. National Park Service

For a park that’s set in the 14,900-square-mile Rainy Lake basin, there may be little surprise that the paddling here is spectacular.Join a local outfitter or a park ranger, who can guide you through the park’s waters and point out must-see sites along the way. National Park Service

According to our park rangers, “Tent camping and houseboat sites within the park's boundaries offer a unique chance to travel beyond your car, for they are only accessible by water." National Park Service

"And if you prefer to stay on land (or let somebody else take the helm), many local resorts and businesses nearby offer accommodations, RV hookups, camping, guide services and more.” Voyageurs National Park

Aside from the summer months, the park rangers suggest enjoying the fall colors: “On land or beyond the shore, the park in fall color is a sight to behold. The brightest leaves generally show up near the end of September and last through October.” Voyageurs National Park

The Rainy Lake Visitor Center lends snowshoes and skis out for free during its winter visiting hours, once the snow is deep enough to go exploring. “In winter, you can even drive on top of the lake, once it freezes strongly enough for park staff to mark our annual ice roads,” say the park rangers. National Park Service

Its remote location makes night sky viewing spectacular in Voyageurs National Park. “Clear night skies in Voyageurs offer unforgettable views of the constellations and the Milky Way,” say the park rangers. “Sometimes, it can also be possible to see satellites, meteors, or the Northern Lights.” National Park Service, Dimse

The most popular day use destination in all of Voyageurs National Park is the Ellsworth Rock Gardens, created over 20 years by self-taught artist Jack Ellsworth and known as the “Showplace of Lake Kabetogama.” National Park Service

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For a park that’s set in the 14,900-square-mile Rainy Lake basin, there may be little surprise that the paddling here is spectacular.Join a local outfitter or a park ranger, who can guide you through the park’s waters and point out must-see sites along the way.(Photo: National Park Service)

Leave your car behind and experience Voyageurs National Park the only way you really can — by boat. Bordering Canada in Northern Minnesota, the park is a place where you can choose your own adventure on 500-plus islands, 655 miles of shoreline and more than 218,000 acres of land and water.

More than 250 years ago, voyageurs, French for travelers, made their way through the interconnected waterways still found in the park as part of the fur trade route to the “Great Northwest.”

Though locals first wanted to protect the region’s history and beauty in 1891 — the oldest rock in the park is greenstone that’s 2.8 billion years old — it wasn’t until 1975 that Congress authorized and established Voyageurs National Park. Last year, just over ‎237,000 people visited the park, so you’ll probably feel like you have each island to yourself. Voyageurs National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, but its three visitor centers’ hours change seasonally.

We checked in with the park’s rangers, who provided these 10 tips to make the most of your visit to Voyageurs National Park, in no particular order:

1. Water, water, everywhere: “We're all united in our need for it, and Voyageurs National Park offers countless ways to get in touch with water: boating, paddling, swimming, fishing, viewing wildlife, sitting on the shore to enjoy a good book, and many others,” said the park rangers. If you love water, you’re in luck at Voyageurs National Park.

2. Be prepared: If you haven’t checked out all there is to do in Voyageurs National Park via the park’s website before arriving, visit the visitor centers, accessible by car.

“Each of the park's three visitor centers has something unique to offer,” said the park rangers. “You can see a full-sized moose exhibit at Rainy Lake, look inside a beaver lodge at Kabetogama, and enjoy the rustic beauty of Ash River's historic architecture.”

To get around the park, though, you’ll need to leave your car behind and take a boat. Most boat tours depart from the visitor centers, and reservations are highly recommended. Another terrific planning resource is the park’s newspaper, Rendezvous, which outlines programs seasonally.

3. Go paddling: For a park that’s set in the 14,900-square-mile Rainy Lake basin, it's not surprising that the paddling here is spectacular. Join a local outfitter who will guide you through the park’s waters and point out must-see sites along the way. The park has 33 day-use sites throughout the park, so pack a picnic and make a day of it.

4. Take a hike: Though the park is best experienced from the water, there are plenty of hiking opportunities, too, some of which are accessible by car before you hop onto a boat headed for the park’s interior. Hiking trails range from the easy 0.25-mile Ethno-botanical Garden Trail (loop) to the strenuous 27.9-mile Kab-Ash Trail system.

5. Join a park ranger: Why not learn about the park from those in the know? “Voyageurs offers ranger programs at each visitor center, many of which are free of charge to visitors.”

Kettle Falls was dammed in 1910, and the historic Kettle Falls Hotel has been welcoming travelers since 1913; you can join a park ranger-led tour of the Kettle Falls Dam.

In the late-1800s, the gold rush made its way to Northern Minnesota when a gold-bearing quartz vein was discovered by a local prospector. The easy 0.25-mile Little American Island loop trail provides a glimpse into the past — hikers and walkers will see mine shafts and machinery left behind from the 1890s.

The most popular day use destination in Voyageurs National Park is the Ellsworth Rock Gardens, created over 20 years by self-taught artist Jack Ellsworth and known as the “Showplace of Lake Kabetogama.”

7. Volunteer for a day: If you’re visiting the park and want to give back, volunteer opportunities are available. One fun way to volunteer is to be a part of the loon survey in late August. Spend a day on the water watching for loons and their habitats, nests and young. For more information on how to volunteer, call the park’s volunteer coordinator: (218) 283-6636.

8. Stay the night: According to our park rangers, “Tent camping and houseboat sites within the park's boundaries offer a unique chance to travel beyond your car, for they are only accessible by water. And if you prefer to stay on land (or let somebody else take the helm), many local resorts and businesses nearby offer accommodations, RV hookups, camping, guide services and more.” Rendezvous, the park’s seasonal newspaper, outlines local accommodations and authorized outfitters to make the most of your planning.

9. Lights out: Its remote location makes night sky viewing spectacular in Voyageurs National Park. “Clear night skies in Voyageurs offer unforgettable views of the constellations and the Milky Way,” say the park rangers. “Sometimes, it can also be possible to see satellites, meteors, or the Northern Lights.”

10. Visit anytime: Since Voyageurs National Park is open year-round, anytime’s a terrific time to visit the park. Aside from the summer months, the park rangers suggest enjoying the fall colors: “On land or beyond the shore, the park in fall color is a sight to behold. The brightest leaves generally show up near the end of September and last through October.”

In the wintertime, borrow a pair or snowshoes or skis. The Rainy Lake Visitor Center lends snowshoes and skis for free during its winter visiting hours, once the snow is deep enough to go exploring. “In winter, you can even drive on top of the lake, once it freezes strongly enough for park staff to mark our annual ice roads.”

For more on Voyageurs National Park, and to help with trip planning, download the free Chimani app to your smart phone to easily navigate your way around the park, with or without cell phone service, which can be non-existent within the park.

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In 1968, 200 miles of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway in Minnesota and Wisconsin was established as one of the original eight rivers under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Whether you choose to canoe and camp amid the northwoods, or boat and fish surrounded by wooded bluffs and historic towns, the St. Croix is worth the trip. Courtesy of Craig Blacklock, from the book "St. Croix & Namekagon Rivers--The Enduring Gift"

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